Read Online High Master of Clere by Jane Arbor - Free Book Online Page A

distaste and rejected it. ‘ Not exactly sinister. Just — odd, ’ she said.
    Daniel shook his head. ‘ I doubt if you would have brought it up if you merely thought it odd. No, at a guess your speculations ran— “ Why didn ’ t the man come until after Father was dead, and then only to step into his shoes? ” Something like that ?’ It was so near to Lance ’ s criticism that Verity was taken aback. ‘ Well —’ she began. Daniel went on,
    ‘ I thought so. On our tour of the school that first day Lance left me in little doubt that that was his reaction. But if I tell you that Mrs. Lytton has accepted that at the time I had my own good reasons, shouldn ’ t that be enough? ’
    ‘ Of course. We hadn ’ t any right —’
    ‘ You hadn ’ t, had you? ’ Daniel agreed, his tone bland but a barrier which, this time, Verity did not attempt to storm.
    It was Nash who decided the limit of the walk by turning back towards the dunes when he had had enough. They had reached the wall gate from the lane when Daniel asked, ‘ Does Lance care as much about the shore as you do? ’
    Verity said, ‘ Yes, I think so, though for different reasons. I just enjoy messing about on it, but his passion is bird photography and he spends hours building “ hides ” and even more hours crouching in them, waiting for the birds to come in. ’
    ‘ Seabirds mostly, I suppose? What kinds do you see on this coast? ’
    ‘ Oh—terns, bitterns, a lot of different migrant gulls, wild geese, duck. We have grey seals too. Lance gets marvellous results with his pocket camera, but he ’ s always dreaming of what he ’ s going to do in cine and colour when he can afford a better one. ’
    ‘ Meanwhile, would the loan of a Leica interest him, do you think? I ask, as I have one which I ’ ve had no time to use lately. ’
    At the casual question Verity looked up, her eyes wide. ‘ A Leica ? You ’ d lend him yours? It ’ s just not true! He ’ d be ecstatic. Oh —’ she broke off in confusion.
    Daniel said drily, ‘ You ’ re thinking, probably, that he ’ d distrust it as a Greek gift, coming from me. Well, that must be risked—the offer is open if he cares to take it, and in return I shall expect him to put together a collection of his slides to show to his House one evening. So let me know, will you, if he accepts and he can have it? I ’ ll give it to you in the morning. ’
    He left her at the main school entrance, saying he had work to do in his study. At their halt Verity had picked up Nash, who had been dawdling, and Daniel stroked the silken head as he added, ‘ I ’ ve enjoyed this. You mu s t let me come along with you again some time. ’
    ‘ I ’ d like you to, ’ said Verity, meaning it, and happily not able then to foresee that the next time she walked the shore at night she would be alone.

 
    CHAPTER IV
    The next day Verity waylaid Lance on his way to a class and told him about Daniel ’ s offer. Lance listened, staring, then echoed her own surprise.
    ‘ A Leica—just like that? You ’ re joking! People don ’ t lend that kind of gear around !’
    ‘ Well, evidently Daniel doe s—’
    ‘ Daniel ?’
    Verity snapped, ‘ Oh, don ’ t be tiresome. You know Mother always calls him Daniel at home, so naturally I do too—off the job. And he calls me Verity all the time, just as he calls you Lance, except in school. ’
    ‘ Well, tell him, will you, that I ’ d rather settle for Lytton ?’ retorted Lance rudely. Hitching the books he was carrying, he added, ‘ And while you ’ re at it, you could say that if he ’ s hoping to suck up with the loan of a camera I can ’ t afford, he ’ d better think again. ’ But as he turned away Verity caught at his arm.
    ‘ Listen, ’ she said. ‘ The thing is on my desk now, waiting for you. I ’ ve accepted it in your name and I ’ m not handing it back. What ’ s more, when the High needs to suck up to a mere fifth-former, that ’ ll be the day!